Sound-reproducing apparatus.



Patented Dec; 15,1914.

111126711507: gag Y7 M G. F. NORRIS.

SOUND REPRODU'GING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AlR.27, 1914.

mm mg witnesses WM H-fi -w 4im/z m said record or other sound SOUN D-REPRODUCIN G APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Application filed April 27, 1914. Serial 0. 834,626.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. NORRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Malden, in the county-of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in ducing Apparatus, of which is a specification.

the following nection are constructed 0 soft metal or fiber, in order that they may not injure or destroy the delicate surface of the records and by being soft the tracing o a single record usually suffices to needles in readiness to be moved successively into an operative position relatively to the record of the machine thereby changing rom a used to an unused needle each time a record is played until the supply has been exhausted, or if it is'so desired said supply be attained, as set iii-after appearing may and parforth in the following specification ticularly pointed outin the claims.

eferring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion ofa sound reproducing apparatus or bodying my invention, certain parts of said apparatus being broken away to save space in the drawings. Fig. 2 is a front elevation illustrating the sound box in its operative Sound-Re'proa comparatively talking machine em Y position against the face of a record, tions of said record and the rotatable support therefor being broken away; Fig. 3 is aidetail section, partly in elevation, of the needle holder an means for rotating said older. Fig. 4 1s a section, partly in elevation, taken on line,4'4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the needle holder. e numerals refer to like out the several views of the d In e drawings, 6 is a casing adapted to be present case of the type known as a disk record rests upon the turn (1 is revolved thereby, having a spirally arranged laterally undud groove formed in its face.

bracket 10 is secured tothe side of the casing 6 and has pivotally mounted thereona tone tube 11, the free'endof which is adapted to swing transversely of the face of the record 9, said tube either leading to a horn 12, as shown in Fig. l, or if desired-to ings. A sound box'13 is pivoted at 14 to the c, said sound box having a pivoted arm whose inner end is Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

shown in the draw secured at 16'to the center ofadiaphragm" contain needles of the ,;,various well-known said socket being preferably tri'angu lar. in s ape and having a box and adapted to be rotated relatively said holder being adapted to contain a pluralityof needles 22preferably uniormlv spaced about the axis of said holder 21, 4

As hereinbeforestat'ed the holder 21 is arranged to rotate relatively to the sound box l3-preferably about a stud 23 the upper end of which adapted to fit the socket l9and to be held therein by the thumb screw 20-. plurality of projections 24. are provided on the rear 1s trrangularly formed andface 25 of the holder 21, said projections forming recesses 26 corresponding to the number of needles contained in said holder.

The stud 23 is provided with a lateral projection or pin 27 arranged to fit the recesses 26 and to be yieldingly held therein by a spring 28, which encircles the stud 23 hearing at one end against the collar 29 on said stud and at the opposite end against the end of the rotary member 21, the relative positions of said recesses 26 and the needles 22 being such that when said projection 27 is in one of said recesses one of said needles will be in contact with the disk 9, that is, when the sound box 13 is in its operative position,- said projection preventing more than one needle from contacting with said record at one time.

During the operation of the apparatus the turn table 7 is rotated and in turn imparts a rotary motion to the record 9 during which time one of the needles, carried by the holder 21, is placed within the groove formed in the face of said record, whereupon the undulations of said groove will impart a rocking movement through said which, in turn, vibrates the diaphragm 17, while at the same time said sound box is moving from the point near the "periphery of said record toward the center thereof causing the tone tube 11 to be'swung about its pivot. lVhen the end of the groove in said record has been reached the sound box is swung upwardly about the pivot 14 into the position illustrated in dotted lines Fig. 1, with one edge of said sound box resting against the tone tube 11, while the needles 22 are elevated or moved clear of the record permitting said record to be removed and another record placed on the table, or the same record reversed as the case may be.

The swinging of the sound box as described is performed each time a record is put on or taken off, the full line position of the sound box in Fig. 1 illustrating the oper ative position thereof, while the dotted lines illustrate the inoperative position of said sound box. To accomplish the rotation of the holder the distance between two consecutive needles or to move a new needle into a position to engage the record 9, the needle holder 21 is rotated upon the stud 23 by hand, if desired, but preferably automati cally during predetermined pivotal move: ment o f said sound box, or at least during the lattdr portion of the upward movement of said sound box, by means preferably consisting of an arm 30 secured to the tone tube 11, by a screw 31, a bracket 32 engaging said tonetube 11 and properly positioning said arm relatively to said tube.

The upper end o the arm 30 is provided with a spring ed at 34 to said arm, while the opp ad 35 is bent transneedle to the arm 15' versely of the body portion of said spring and extends through a hole 36, and again said spring is bent to form a stop 37. The body portion of the spring 32 is arranged at an angle to the arm 30 and is adapted to be moved toward said arm for alimited distance, the outward movement thereof being limited by the stop 37.

The position of the spring 38 is such that as said sound box is swung upon the pivot 14 from its operative to its inoperative position the portion 35 thereof will engage one of the projections 24 on the holder 21 and cause said holder to be moved longitudinally of the stud 23 until the projections upon opposite sides of the lateral projection 27 have been disengaged from said projection, whereupon a continued movement of said sound box will cause said holder to be rotated until the next recess is brought beneath the projection 27. The spring 28 at this time causes said holder 21 to return to its normal position, thus locking the same in the desired position.

Just as the projection 27 enters the next recess the spring 33 escapes from the projection, which it has engaged in rotating said holder, permitting said sound box to be moved into a position against the tone tube 11 without further rotatin said holder. Upon the return movement of the sound box to its operative position said, holder strikes the inclined body portion of said spring 33 and instead of being rotated thereby deflects said spring without affecting the position of the needles or said holder.

The capacity of the needle holder 21 may be varied as desired, in the present instance however twelve needles are shown which permit twelve consecutive operations when the needles are to be used once, or if it is do sired to use the needles a second time the op eration may continue until twenty-four or more records have been played after which the holder may be removed by turning the screw 20 and withdrawing the stud 23 from,

holder with a vi the socket 19, wh le another fresh supply of needles may be inserted or the needles in said holder removed and other needles placed therein in their stead.

It is essential. that the needles be held firmly in the holder 21 in order to prevent any loss or absorption of the vibrations transmitted by the record. As a preferred means for securing the needles in the holder 21 a barrel 38 is provided, said barrel having a plurality of radially disposed recesses 32 arranged at uniform distances from'the axis thereof, whose inner ends are adapted to receive the butts of the needles 22. A ring 40 is secured to the end of the barrel 38, said ring having mounted therein a plurality of pins e1 which register with the "adial recesses 39, said pins being slotted at 2 longitudinally, thereof and upon the side adiacent needle holder to present the needles and into which said needles are adapted to project.

A second ring 43 is adapted to encircle the pins ll and force said pins into the recesses 39 firmly against the butts of the needles, said latter ring being provided with a flange 44 which facilitates the removal of said ring from said pins When it is desired to remove and replace the needles in said holder.

In the a-bove description I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention for illustrative purposes and have disclosed and discussed in detail the construction and arrangement incidental to the particular application. It is however to be understood that the invention is not limited to the mere details or relative arrangement of parts, neither to the specific application herein shown, but that extensive variations or deviations from the illustrated forms of the in vention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the same.

Having thus described my invention What I. claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is: 4

1. A sound reproducing apparatus having, in combination, a tone tube, a sound box pivotally mounted on said tone tube, a multiple needle holder secured to said sound ox, means to position said holder on said sound box with one of said needles in an operative position, and means on said tone tube adapted to be engaged by said holder during a portion of the pivotal movement of said sound box in one direction adapted to move one needle out of and another needle into said operative position.

2. A sound reproducing apparatus having, in combination, a pivotally mounted sound box adapted to be swung from an. operative to aninoperative position, a needle holder secured to said sound box, said holder adapted to contain a plurality of needles, means to position said holder with-one of said needles in an operative position when said sound box is in its operative position, and means rendered operative by the move-- ment of said sound box from one of said aositions to the other adapted to move said another needle to said operative position.

3. A sound reproducing apparatus having, in combination, a pivoted sound box adapted to be swung from an operative into an inoperative position, a stud detachably secured to said sound box, a needle holder rotatably n'iounted on said stud, a plurality of.needles arranged about the axis of said holder, means adapted to yieldingly retain said holder in nonrotatable relation to said stud, and means rendered operative by the swinging of said sound box from one of its positions to the other adapted to rotate said needle holder the distance betweentwo consecutive needles.

4. A sound reproducing apparatus having, in combination, a tone tube, a sound box pivotally connected with said tone tube adapted to be swung thereon from an operative to an inoperative position, a needle holder secured to said sound box, said holder adapted to contain a plurality of needles, means to position said holder with one of said needles in an operative position, and an arm secured to said tone tube adapted to be engaged by said needle holder during the movement of said sound box from one of said positions to the other and to rotate said holder the distance between two consecutive needles.

5. A sound reproducing apparatus havcombination, a tone tube, a sound ative to an inoperative position, a needle holder secured to said sound box, said holder adapted to contain a plurality of needles, means to position said holder with one of said needles in an operative position, an arm secured to said tone tube, a spring on said arm, and means on said holder adapted to engage said spring during the movement of said sound box in one dl "ection from one of said positions to the. other and rotate said holder a distance equal to the distance be tween consecutive needles.

6. A. sound reproducing apparatus having, in combination, a pivoted sound box, a needle holder arranged beneath and adapted to be rotated relatively to said sound box, said holder adapted to contain a plurality of needles disposed about the axis thereof, means to secure said needles in said holder, and means rendered operative by a predetermined. pivotal movement of said sound box adapted to successively present the needlesin, said holder to the operative position thereof.

7. A. sound reproducing apparatus having, in combination, a pivoted sound box adapted to be swung from an operative into an inoperative position, a stud detachably secured to said sound box, aneedle holder rotatably mounted on said stud, -a plurality holder, means adapted in nonrotatable relation to said stud, and

means rendered operatlve by the swinging 8. A sound reproducing apparatus having, in combination, a pivotal 'sound'box, a' stud detachably secured to said sound box, a needle holder rotatably arranged on said stud adapted to contain a plurality of dles, a projection on said'stud, said holder adapted to engage said projection to prevent rotation of said holder, a spring adapted to yieldingly retain said holder in contact with saidprojection means rendered operative by a pivotal movement of said sound box adapted to rotate said holder. p

9. A. sound reproducing apparatus having, in combination, a pivotal sound box, a stud detaohably secured to said sound box, a holder rotatably mounted on said stud adeptzidapted to retain said holder in contact with said projection and means rendered operative by a' pivotal movement of said sound box to disconnect said holder from said projection and rotate said holder a predetermined amount on said stud.-

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing ed to contain it plurality oi needles, means Witnesses.

O to secure said needles 1n said holder a pro- GEORGE F. NURRLS.

ectmn on said stud, means on stud solder Witnesses:

adapted to engage said projection and prevent the rotation of said holder, :1 spring Gopies at this patent my he obtained for SYDNEY E. Terr, MARGARET E. HORN.

five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Tatpnts, Washington, I). G. 

